Cracks in Reality (Seams in Reality Book 2)

by Siegel, Alex

  Andrew was riding in a limousine with Charlie and Tungsten, and two more BPI agents were in the front. Tonya and Dan had taken a separate car because there wasn't room for everybody in one.

  Andrew turned to Tungsten. "I just realized we've spent a lot of time together, but I don't know anything about you. How long have you been in the BPI?"

  "Actually, I'm not an agent," Tungsten said. "I'm a contractor. They hired me just for this assignment."

  "To teach martial arts to Charley and me?"

  "And to protect you. I was an Army Ranger. I had just retired when I got the call from the BPI."

  "Why did you retire?" Andrew said. "You're still in fantastic condition. You definitely look like you could fight a battle."

  "Fifteen years of service seemed like enough, and the military bureaucracy was getting on my nerves. You can say 'yes, sir' to idiotic orders only so many times in a life."

  "But if you wanted to retire, why did you agree to work for the BPI?"

  "After a month of sitting on my ass," Tungsten said, "I was starting to go stir-crazy. The BPI promised me a different kind of mission against a different kind of enemy, and they delivered."

  "That's true. If we find Blake, make sure to stay away, or he'll do very bad things to your mind."

  "I'm planning to just shoot him dead if I see him."

  "That works, too," Andrew said.

  He spotted a small, blue sign which read, "Bureau of Physical Investigation." The car pulled into a spacious lot in front of a brown brick building. He had been here once before, but the idea of entering a top-secret, government installation still gave him a thrill. He felt like a secret agent.

  After the car parked, he stepped out and looked at the headquarters building. It was really a fortress in disguise. The squat architecture and slot windows hinted at its true purpose. Plenty of surveillance cameras ran along the edge of the roof, and Andrew expected more were hidden. He also imagined concealed weapons were placed at strategic locations. All the security was designed to stop renegade sorcerers. It was supposed to be a place where normal people could feel safe.

  The second car pulled up. Andrew, Charley, Tonya, Dan, and Tungsten regrouped. Four other BPI agents accompanied them as they entered the building.

  The first checkpoint was at the entry. Everybody had to show proof of identity, even the BPI agents. The guards at the desk also took fingerprints and photographs of faces. All the data was sent to another office for verification.

  Finally, the group was allowed to enter the building. The ground floor was just office space, and Andrew saw meeting rooms, cubicles, and private offices. Men and women in business attire were quietly working at computers or talking to each other. They glanced at the sorcerers with expressions of concern. Andrew didn't feel very welcome.

  The group reached a second checkpoint at the center of the building. The entire authentication process was repeated, but this time, the guards were at a remote location. They interacted using a two-way video conference system. Two machine guns on robotic mounts emphasized the seriousness of the procedure.

  The BPI agents had to go through an additional step. They stuck their forearms into a slot in a big machine and waited for a green light to flash. When the men removed their arms, drops of blood dotted their skin. Andrew had learned previously that it was a test designed to detect the influence of sorcery. Apparently, mind-control or any kind of mental magic left chemical traces in the blood.

  When it was Dan's turn, the light flashed red instead of green. The machine guns instantly swung around and aimed for his body.

  "Wait!" Tonya raised her hands. "Stop! This is my fault. He got a little too involved in one of our training sessions."

  One of the guards looked at her through the conference system. He had gray hair and a sour expression on his face.

  "What do you mean?" he said. "Agents are supposed to stay away during your training."

  "I know, but it happened. He's not under any kind of nefarious influence. I'll vouch for him."

  The guard frowned. "He can't go downstairs. He'll have to wait for you in the lobby. The Director might also want to debrief him."

  "That's fine," Tonya said. "We don't need him at the moment."

  Dan's face showed dismay, but he kept quiet.

  Tungsten also failed the test for the same reason. He and Dan went back to where they had entered headquarters.

  The sorcerers didn't take the blood test because they would automatically fail. Their blood was full of the byproducts of magic.

  Four BPI agents remained with the group. Everybody entered a large elevator, and after the doors closed, it went down. The fun parts of headquarters were buried deep underground.

  As the elevator made its long descent, Andrew wondered what other security measures the BPI had up its sleeve. He didn't doubt the BPI was keeping its best cards hidden. They didn't trust sorcerers, and sorcerers didn't trust them. It wasn't obvious how to improve the uncomfortable situation.

  The doors opened. Everybody stepped out into a circular tunnel cut straight through bedrock. Fluorescent panels attached to the ceiling cast glaring, bluish light. The group walked forward, and their footsteps echoed on the rock floor.

  They passed other tunnels which branched off. Andrew looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of something interesting. A window gave him a view into a science laboratory full of equipment and computers. A giant ball made of copper mesh had a plastic chair in the center, and wires were attached to hundreds of sensors on the exterior.

  Andrew detected the energy of three other sorcerers ahead. He recognized the signatures of Keene and Richard who were also members of the Sorcerer's Tribunal. Andrew didn't know the third sorcerer, but his energy was weaker.

  Andrew and the rest of his group eventually arrived at the domed chamber where the Tribunal met. A bronze plate in the center of the roof showed the logo of the BPI. The same logo was carved into a pair of giant, wooden doors. The chamber was furnished like a courtroom with the judges at one end and chairs for an audience at the other.

  Tonya sat behind the judge's bench with the five other members of the Tribunal. In addition to the three sorcerers, there were three BPI agents.

  The most important agent was Frank Webster, Director of the BPI. He had short, straight, brown hair. His gaunt face revealed as much emotion as a block of granite. He was big and beefy for a high-ranking bureaucrat. He sat in black robes with a perfectly straight posture.

  A tall man with wild blond hair was seated in the center of the chamber. Andrew could tell from his energy that the man was the mystery sorcerer. He was biting his lip and glancing to the side nervously.

  Andrew and Charley found seats in the gallery.

  "We heard you had trouble getting in," Frank Webster said.

  "It was nothing." Tonya made a dismissive gesture with her hand.

  He raised his eyebrows. "Two agents tested positive."

  "They got a little too close during an intense training session. It was an accident. It won't happen again."

  Andrew knew Tonya was lying. Nothing about that session had been accidental.

  Webster raised his eyebrows. "I see. Perhaps we should discuss this privately."

  "If you want," Tonya said. "Shall we begin?"

  He faced forward. "I call to order the four hundred and thirty-fourth meeting of the Sorcerer's Tribunal," he declared. "Today's case is a violation of regulations 18-C and 18-D by one Vivian Bernard. We have a witness in the court. Please, state your name and relationship to the accused. Then give us your testimony."

  The sorcerer with blond hair cleared his throat and stood up.

  "Yes, your honor," he said. "I'm Morris Shanis. I visited Vivian at her seam probably a few dozen times. She has been experimenting with organic sorcery. I saw her do it with my own eyes. She even bragged about it to me."

  Andrew knew organic sorcery was manipulating the sprites which clustered around seams. It was an infernal art. Sprites were usu
ally harmless, but under the right conditions, they could grow into deadly monsters called banshees. Andrew had personally witnessed the mass carnage left behind by a banshee attack. Intentionally messing with sprites was extremely reckless.

  "Could you be more specific?" Richard said. "What exactly was she doing with the sprites?"

  He owned the Manassas seam, the biggest in the country. He had a gray beard, a long gray mustache, and unkempt gray hair. His left eye was squinting, but his right eye was normal. He was wearing an old-fashioned cloak made of a coarse brown material, and the hood was thrown back.

  "Making them into pets," Morris said. "Dogs, mostly. She actually played fetch with them."

  Tonya leaned forward. "Why did she show you this? It seems a little odd for one sorcerer to incriminate herself in front of another."

  "Vivian and I were, uh, romantically involved."

  Andrew stared in disbelief. You slept with her, he thought, and now you're ratting on her?

  "I gather the romance has ended," Tonya said.

  Morris nodded. "She told me she had 'outgrown' me. Bitch. The director promised I could have her seam if she went to prison."

  Tonya looked at Webster. "Really?"

  "It seemed a reasonable reward for his cooperation," Webster replied. "The seam would need somebody to guard it anyway."

  Andrew was disgusted. Morris was stabbing his ex-lover in the back just so he could steal her seam.

  "I don't like the kind of message you're sending," Tonya said, "but that's another discussion we can have in private." She turned back to Morris. "Is there anything else you want to say?"

  "Yes," he said. "Vivian Bernard is a threat to everybody around her. Her experiments with sprites are out of control. She needs to be locked away for the sake of the safety of the community. I urge the Tribunal to act swiftly and justly."

  Andrew rolled his eyes. Scumbag.

  "Thank you for your testimony," Webster said. "You may go now. Close the doors on the way out."

  Morris hurried out of the chamber. He closed the big, wooden doors firmly.

  As soon as he was out of earshot, Andrew spoke up.

  "Do you actually believe that guy?" he said.

  Tonya gave him a sharp look. "Excuse me. I don't believe the Tribunal gave you permission to speak."

  "Sorry." He gulped. "May I speak, please?"

  "Of course."

  "That guy has an axe to grind," Andrew said. "Vivian dumped him, and now he wants her seam. You can't trust a word he said."

  "We're not idiots," Tonya said. "All of us are capable of recognizing biased testimony, but it's enough to warrant further inquiry. I move we assign this investigation to Andrew and Charley as their final exam."

  The other judges nodded and murmured in agreement.

  "Huh?" Andrew said. "What just happened?"

  "You two will uncover the facts of the case," Tonya said. "Go to Vivian and interrogate her using truth sorcery. If she's guilty of the charges, bring her to justice. If she resists, subdue her. You have the permission of the Tribunal to employ whatever measures you deem necessary, including the infernal arts."

  "You want me to fight her?"

  "If she doesn't cooperate."

  "What if I accidently injure her?" he said. "Or even kill her?"

  "That's a possible outcome. We'll expect a full report, of course. Be prepared to justify your actions."

  Andrew turned to Charley. She stared back at him with wide eyes.

  "Vivian is a skilled sorcerer," Keene said, "and she might be expecting unfriendly visitors. I suggest a very cautious approach."

  His wrinkled, ruddy face was full of concern. He was wearing a black dress shirt with silver buttons which gleamed in the bright light.

  Andrew could hardly believe the Tribunal was serious. The assignment went far beyond a mere exam. He might actually have to fight and kill another human being.

  "Is this really a good idea?" Andrew said. "Do you usually send apprentices for something like this?"

  "No," Tonya said. "It's a job for a master, but these are exceptional circumstances. You need to prove you can handle an ordinary sorcerer before we send you after Blake. But just to be safe, I'll tag along and observe from a distance. If the situation comes unglued, I'll intervene. The danger will be real though. I might not be close enough to save your life an in emergency. I'll be there simply to prevent a disaster from spreading."

  He grimaced and looked at Charley again. "What do you think?"

  "This idea scares the crap out of me," she whispered. "I don't know if we're ready."

  "We can refuse to go. Tonya can take us back to Chicago for more training."

  She glanced at the Tribunal. "That may not be a good idea. I don't think this assignment is optional."

  Andrew looked at the stern faces of the members of the Tribunal. They were waiting for an answer.

  He had some confidence he could handle the job. Tonya had just put him through two months of combat boot camp, and his skills in that area had grown enormously. He was now at home on the psychic battlefield. Manipulating the minds of others had become as easy as changing the oil in a car. His innate talent as a war mage multiplied his capabilities. It was possible he could even beat Tonya in a straight-up fight now.

  Andrew was much less certain about Charley. She had an amazing gift with physical sorcery, but combat wasn't her thing. At best, she could support him in a fight, and at worst, she would be a liability.

  "I'll go alone," he whispered.

  "No." She shook her head. "We're a team."

  "I don't want you to get hurt."

  "That's sweet, but I'm not a helpless princess that stays at home while her knight in shining armor rides into battle. I went through the same training as you."

  "You don't have the same talent," Andrew said.

  Charley gave him a hard look. "My talents are different but still useful, and frankly, I don't trust you on your own. You need a woman around to tell you when you're acting like a typical dumb male."

  "I don't...."

  "Really?" She raised her eyebrows.

  "Well, maybe I do sometimes. Sounds like you want to go."

  She looked at the Tribunal again. "What I want is irrelevant. We were both told to go."

  Andrew sighed. He didn't like the situation, but Charley was right.

  He faced Webster. "Where does Vivian live?"

  "Atlantic City, New Jersey," the director said. "You're leaving immediately."

  * * *

  Andrew looked out the car window at green marshland on either side of the highway. He had never been to Atlantic City before. He had just found out the city was on a sandy barrier island out in the Atlantic Ocean. Bridges crossing marshes and open water provided access.

  Charley was in the back with Andrew, and he gave her a reassuring smile, but her eyes remained wide with anxiety. He wasn't feeling very confident either. Neither of them had ever done anything like this before.

  Dan was driving the car, and Tungsten was riding shotgun. Tonya had rented her own vehicle to emphasize her lack of participation in the assignment. She would just be a distant observer. Andrew sensed her energy a few hundred yards back on the highway, and he wished she were closer.

  The car left the marsh and drove swiftly past houses on both sides of the highway. It was cold outside, but there was no snow on the ground. The branches of the trees were bare. The neighborhood looked rundown, but it wasn't quite a slum.

  Dan drove down the wide, straight highway at a speedy pace. Eventually, it turned into a regular avenue, and Andrew saw the casinos of Atlantic City ahead. The biggest was a tall, thin, bluish building with a giant white ball on the roof. It was at least fifty stories tall.

  "What's that big one?" Andrew asked.

  "The Revel," Dan said. "It opened in 2012 and went bankrupt in 2014. It was built just in time to catch the economic implosion of Atlantic City. Too many casinos and not enough gamblers. Investors lost billions. The whole are
a is in a severe depression."

  The car continued south until Andrew saw four or five more major casinos built along the shore. The Taj Mahal had one of the biggest parking garages he had ever seen. It filled an entire city block and had eight levels. He wondered if the garage ever filled up. Building such a monstrosity seemed the height of arrogance to him.

  Dan turned right onto Atlantic Avenue. Andrew caught glimpses of the blue ocean at the far ends of the streets. He saw sand but no people.

  "Everything needs a fresh coat of paint," Charley said.

  Andrew nodded. The architecture of some homes and shops reminded him of rural towns he had seen in the Midwest. Bricks were laid in interesting patterns. Bay windows facing the ocean were common. He saw no indications of new construction, and some buildings were boarded up.

  The car finally arrived at Elberon Avenue. According to the short briefing Andrew had received in Washington, Vivian Bernard lived on the block.

  Andrew used his inner sight to scan the area. "The seam is there." He pointed to a large brown building. "And I'm also sensing a sorcerer near it. Must be Vivian."

  "No," Charley said. "There are two sorcerers."

  He checked again and discovered she was right. The two sorcerers were close together and almost indistinguishable from a distance. One had substantially more energy than the other.

  "I bet the stronger one is Vivian," Andrew said.

  "We'll see."

  Dan parked on the street, and everybody got out. A light breeze carried damp, chilly air. Waves crashed onto the beach in the distance. Andrew smelled the saltwater.

  The team went around to the trunk and opened it. Their luggage was inside, but more importantly, they had brought extra weapons. The BPI agents already had side-arms in holsters, but they wanted more. After checking for witnesses, Dan strapped a revolver to his right ankle, and he hid a long knife under his left sleeve. Tungsten put a pair of Micro-Uzis in holsters under the back of his jacket. He could draw both weapons simultaneously by reaching back.